Peter joseph kelly



(No Model.)

5 P.J.KBLLY.

CHRISTMAS TREE HOLDER.

Patented'June 1,1897

/N VENTOH.

I A TTOHNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER JOSEPH KELLY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CHRISTMAS-TREE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 583,755, dated June 1, 1897.

Application fil d March 1, 1897. Serial No. 625,507. (No model.)

To a, whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER J OSEPH KELLY, of New York city, in the county and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Christmas-Tree Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices intended particularly for holding bases of Christmas trees, and in general for holding the bases of staffs of any kind.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an elevation of my device, showing the base of such a staff in position. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of my device folded in position in condition to be laid away, and Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the device as shown in Fig. l.

My device consists,essentially, of three legs, which are preferably made of metal and are strung or pivoted upon a metal ring which is substantially circular in outline. The inner ends of the legs are made of considerable width and are concaved, having points at each end thereof adapted to engage the surface of the staff. The base of the'staff being inserted between the upper points will drop down to engagement with the lower portion of the ends of the legs, and its weight will then cause the upper points to be forced into the material of the stafi, thus holding it securely. The legs A, as shown in the drawings, are formed of metal and of ornamental design.

The upper ends B of the legs are made of considerable width and are concave in outline. The upper point D of each end B is made so as to engage the surface of the staff and be forced into the same so as to securely hold it. .Close to the edge of the concaved upper end of each leg are formed holes E, which receive a connecting-ring F, made of round iron and of substantially circular form and passing through the holes E near the edge of the cancave end B. At one point f the iron forming the ring F is straight. This is the point to which the legs A are all brought when it is desired to fold the device for laying it aside. The ring being straight at this point will permit the legs Ato all be brought close together, lying side by side, in which position they will occupy less space than they would were the ring circular in outline at all points. WVere the ring thus circular in outline the legs A would diverge from each other and they would occupy more space than with the construction described. The base G of a staff is shown in position in Figs. 1 and 3. This base may be the base of a Christmas tree or a staff which is used for any purpose. The base is inserted between the upper points D of the legs and allowed to drop until it comes in contact with the lower ends 0 of the concave upper edge. The weight of the staff pressing upon the lower portion of the end B will force the lower ends of the legs apart and the upper points D toward the center, thus engaging said points securely with the sides of the staff. The concave edge of the end B is brought to a sharp, edge, so that it will also engage the corners of the lower end of the staff. The heavier the object supported by my device the firmer it will be held. The number of legs used should be not less than three, but may be more, if desired. Three, it is thought, will be all that will ever be needed or desired.

It is evident that the same holder may be used for trees or staffs varying considerably in size, the smaller staff spreading the feet of the legs a little more than a larger one, but being held as securely.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Aholder for Christmas trees and similar articles, comprising three or more legs pivoted near their upper ends to a retaining-ring, and adapted by their upper ends to engage and clamp the body of the article, substantially as described.

2. A holder for Christmas trees and similar articles, comprising three or more legs having holes therethrough in their upper ends, and a retaining-ring passing through said holes, substantially as described.

3. A holder for Christmas trees and similar articles, comprising three or more legs having holes therethrough in their upper ends, and a retaining-ring passing through the said holes and having a straight section upon one side thereof, substantially as described.

Io ing broad upper ends of a concave outline,

with points vertically disposed, and a common pivot-rin g passing through each leg near the middle of said concave upper edge, said ring having a straight section upon one side, substantially as describeda PETER JOSEPH KELLY.

\Vitnesses:

IL L. REYNOLDS, JAMES M. HENLEY. 

